Through My Eyes
by 2sidez-Samecoin
Summary: Generics... that is what you players call us. We all have stories and views and I want to share mine with you.
1. Who I am

**Through My Eyes**

Chapter 1

_Hi everyone it 2sidez-Samecoin here. This is my first Final Fantasy Tactics fanfic. I hope you enjoy it. I don't own FFT or it's characters._

Generics; that is what you players call us. To most of you we don't matter, we have no relevant background or stories of our own. All you see is loyal servants with no opinions or feelings. You think of us as pawns or guinea pigs for experiments. Then when we are of no use to you, you take our things and dismiss us or kill us off in battle so others may get our skills. I understand that it is not every player, but my point is that there is more to us than you think. We all have stories and views and I want to share mine with you. My name is Dorone, Dorone McNorton. It's nice to meet you and this is my story.

My story starts before my days at the Academy. My family is originally for Gariland Magic City, but they moved to Goug Machine City before my brother and I was born. I have a cousin whose family also resides in Goug. My brother Daniel, my cousin Vera and I had a very close kinship when were younger. Every chance we got we would play together and we were practically joined at the hip.

When we were ten we got to see some of the mines or at least where they were. One of the older friends of our families showed us and told us what the people in those mines were doing. He told us that they were Engineers and they were restoring past legacies. Of course at the time we had no idea what that meant so we just nodded and continued to follow him. It wasn't until later that I began to understand, but it was that day that my cousin decided that she wanted to work in the mines like some of the other kids. From what Vera told me, her father was against it, but she got to work in the mines. I also wanted to work in the mines but both my parents said no.

When I was twelve my parents moved us to Gariland Magic City. They told us that when we are fourteen my brother and I will be attending the Academy. Daniel and I were happy to hear that because it meant we would be able to learn magic, which we were both fascinated with. So when we were fourteen we started at the Academy in spring. That's when things really started to change. All the new cadets were to meet at the Auditorium. There were sixteen of us in all. When my brother started to chat with one of the other cadets I took a look around at the others.

That's when I saw the pair that would affect my life in unforeseen ways. One boy had blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail in the back. He also had soft features and a gentle smile on his face, and I sensed nothing but goodness from him. The boy next to him had dark brown hair and slightly rough features that held a serious expression. I felt slightly puzzled that I could not get a feeling from him yet. They were conversing with one another. After a few moments I realized that I was staring at them. To this day I still can't completely understand why they compelled me. Was it because I could directly tell they were different? Or was it because they contrasted yet complemented each other? Or even still was it because I could feel that my life would change because of them? Even so, it wasn't until my brother asked me what I was looking at that the spell they had over me was broken. "Hm?"

"I said what are you staring at?"

"Oh, I was looking at those two boys over there."

"What you've developed a crush already?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Don't make me hurt you Daniel. That's not the case at all. Just look at them. Can't you tell there's something different about them?"

He looked at them for a moment. "I guess, but what's your point?"

"Oh, nevermind." It was at that moment that one of the instructors told us to go inside and have a seat on the right side of the auditorium. Once we were all seated the instructor called for our attention.

"All right students settle down now. When I call your name I want you to move to a seat on the left side of the auditorium. Ramza Beoulve." '_Beoulve…? Wow…so he's from the noble Beoulve family._' I watched as one of the pair that I had noticed move to the other side of the auditorium. The instructor continued. "Delita Hyral." '_So he's the other one._' "Daniel and Dorone McNorton."

"(Are those the two you were talking about?)" Daniel whispered to me.

"(Yes brother, they are.)" We walked over towards Ramza and Delita and sat in the same row. I had Delita on my left and my brother on my right. I greeted both of them and they both waved in response.

"Cinderella and Dietrich Saunders." They walked over and sat next to my brother. "Nikita Wilson." She came over and sat in the row ahead of us. "Vladimir Voltaire." He sat next to Nikita. The instructor put his list away. "Take a good look at who you're sitting with. These are your comrades. These are the people you will be training with and eventually go into battle with. Get to know them, learn to trust them, and most importantly learn how to work with them. Now all of you head to the cafeteria and eat lunch. Then wait afterward for your class assignments and further instructions. Dismissed." We all got up and headed towards the Cafeteria.

And thus begins my years at the Academy.

_There's chapter one for you. Please be kind and leave a review also if there is anything I need to improve let me know._


	2. Who I Know

**Through My Eyes**

Chapter 2

Who I Know

_Hi everyone it 2sidez-Samecoin here. This is my first Final Fantasy Tactics fanfic. I hope you enjoy it. I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics, only a copy of it._

Our first two years at the Academy were pretty basic. We learned about swords and daggers, and the disadvantages or advantages of each. We also had the opportunity to get the feel for each type of weapons, among other things. We also had plenty of chances to become acquainted with one another. I was always happy to get an opportunity to become more acquainted with Ramza and Delita. Over time they became close friends of mine, along with Cinderella and her brother Dietrich. Nikita and her little boyfriend Vladimir though, I'd rather avoid. They are just so snobbish and classist. To me its seems that they just barely respect Ramza, they certainly act like they think they're better than the rest of us. Yeah, suuure…I think not.

Vladimir was a handsome lad with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes, and he has definitely made it known that he detests me. He has tried to humiliate me and tease me many times but I have taken it in stride. Though that doesn't mean that I haven't wanted to cause him bodily harm. Roasted buttcheeks anyone? I could picture it in my mind; Vlad hopping around with his hands clamped on his rear calling for one of the school nurses. I didn't know any magic yet so it was just fantasy.

Nikita was one of those drop-dead gorgeous girls with the long flowing blonde hair and bright baby blue eyes. She always teased me about how I looked. It usually went like: Blah, blah, blah, your hair, blah, blah, blah, tomboy, blah, blah, blah, never be as pretty as me, blah, blah, blah! She would never shut up! As you can see, though, I would just tune her out. If only I knew the spell for Silence at that time I would have most certainly used it, and then maybe put gum in her hair. That would have been hilarious, watching her running around, mouth ajar, screaming mentally something about her oh so precious hair. I would be like; ha, ha, ha…were you saying something about my hair again? What? I can't hear you. When I think about those two, they just unleash an unpleasant side of me. I'm glad my brother doesn't act like them.

My brother Daniel has short, sandy blonde hair and brown eyes. He's a sweet fellow but he can seem quite confused sometimes. At times he can do the most foolish of things, and if I happened to be caught amongst it I would promptly dish out the consequence. I love my brother dearly, but sometimes I seriously wonder about him. I remember when he told me he had a crush on Nikita. I then proceeded to slap him upside his head and ask him what he saw in her. He said something about how beautiful and graceful she was. I had to remind him that she was dating Vladimir. For a second he had a look of pure malice in his eyes, on of those 'I'm gonna kill him' looks, but it quickly left his eyes and he hung his head. I told him to cheer up because there are more pretty girls out there and if that thought doesn't help go talk to Dietrich. I had to admire my brother though, how he was able to tolerate Nikita is beyond my comprehension. The mere thought that she could've been my sister-in-law sent shivers all up and down my spine.

I'm also glad that Cindy (Cinderella) and Dietrich aren't like Vlad and Niki. Dietrich is a year older than his sister. He has blue eyes and short blonde hair and his sister has brown eyes with sandy brown hair that falls a little past her shoulders. They are lively and kindly people and they both had aspirations to become archers just like my brother and I wanted to become mages. Dietrich was always the funny one. There were times where he helped diffuse the situation with his antics. Especially when Vlad and I were around each other for too long. No matter what Dietrich did I would start laughing and Vlad would just roll his eyes and leave for somewhere else. I'm glad that Cindy was there because if she weren't, I would be stuck with Nikita as the only other girl. Cindy is the one I have girl talks with even though I'm not all that girly myself. When I'm with the both of them I always enjoy myself. I love it when Cindy tries to keep her brother from crossing the line or doing gross things. Dietrich would do the gross things anyway and I would bust out laughing.

"Dorone! Please, don't encourage my brother!" Cindy would always say.

"I'm sorry Cindy, I just can't help it, it's so stupid its funny." I would normally reply.

"See! At least somebody thinks its funny. Why can't you?" Dietrich would usually say.

"Because it's gross, that's why." They would both sigh and Dietrich would start doing something else.

I actually consider Ramza and Delita to be my best friends. Ramza was usually cheerful and happy while Delita was usually serious. They were my tutors when it came to swordplay. I wasn't too horrible but it felt awkward to even hold a dagger, which was usually standard for a chemist's weapon. When we would practice I usually told them to give it all they had, but I could tell that they went easy on me. It would usually be Ramza though. After all we were only using practice swords.

When I became too tired to continue Ramza and Delita sometimes would spar with each other. Each time they did so I was captivated. Their movements could be called graceful. One would attack; the other would dodge or parry the blow and try to counter. To me they looked like they were veterans. Each had serious looks, focused on what they were doing. It would be dead silent except for the sound of wood against wood. One would almost be afraid to breathe lest it would break the semi-silence. For me the background would be a blur of colors with Ramza and Delita dueling in the middle of it, like a dream. It would be beautiful if you didn't know that, in real life battle, the objective was to kill your opponent.

_So what do you think? Am I on the right track? Did I give too much info? What about my grammar? Please leave a review and tell me. It would be much appreciated. Also thank you for taking the time to look at Dorone's story. Next time we start to get into the game's story in Chapter 3: What I do. _


	3. What I do

**Through My Eyes**

Chapter 3

What I do

_Hey everyone, sorry it took so long to update. Okay…now from this point on there will be spoilers for the game. Also I would like to thank my reviewers. It means so much to me._

'_Words like this' --_Dorone's thoughts

(words in these)--someone whispering

_I don't own FFT or its characters._

By the time our final year came Ramza was our squad leader, Ramza and Delita were at the top of our class, and my brother and I were officially chemists. There are still times that I question why we had to become chemists before becoming mages. This, besides Vladimir and Nikita, was my only real complaint. Whenever I started to show my frustration at the fact that we had to become chemists first, my brother would always remind me that 'the way to magic is paved with chemistry.' I was more proficient in chemistry than my brother, so I would help him on occasion.

Sometime near the middle of our school year I went ahead and bought a book about magic form the Academy's bookstore. The book contained information on each class of magic and the most commonly used spells of each class. It even had a section in the back on the items and potions of a chemist. I considered that to be an additional bonus, because in the event that I forgot something I could look in the book as a reference. On my way back to my room I was reading a particular page in my book when an announcement was made.

"Senior Squad A repot to the auditorium in 5 minutes. I repeat. Senior Squad A report to the auditorium in 5 minutes."

_'What! I can't return to my room, change into my chemist's attire, and get to the auditorium in 5 minutes.' _I began to run as fast as I could to my room. On my way I had to apologize to about 15 people. I almost collapsed inside my room as I opened my door. I quickly got out of what I was wearing, proceeded to pull my chemist's attire over my head, then hastily put on my shoes, shoved the book into my satchel, and finally ran out my room. _'I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!'_ I couldn't help but repeat this as I dashed towards the auditorium. Then, when I was about halfway there, I tripped. Just a quick word of advice to all of you: putting on chemist's shoes in a hurry is truly a bad thing. Anyway I managed to keep my face for colliding with the floor, but my satchel wasn't as fortunate. It hit the floor hard and I heard glass brake. "Oh for the love of…Ahh! My book!" Immediately got up and fished out my book. I was fortunate that it wasn't wet. Just as I was about to sigh with semi-relief I remembered that I was still late. _'Damnit. Damnit. Damnit.'_ So I was off again with the book still in my grasp. When I reached the auditorium and saw there was no instructor there I sighed, feeling both relieved and angry, and took my place with the incomplete group of three. That is to say, I went and stood with Dietrich, Nikita, and Vladimir.

"Hey Dorone, why are you late?" Dietrich asked.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later."

"Okay."

"I heard that another wagon bound for Igros was attacked." Vlad informed us.

"Must have been the Death Corps..." Nikita surmised. Across the isle the other four stood (Ramza, Delita, Daniel, and Cindy).

"Something's starting…know anything Delita?" I heard Ramza ask.

"No, but I can guess." He replied.

"What do you mean?" Ramza asked.

"Prince Larg's coming to town."

"Prince Larg? Why?"

"Not only Larg, but Marquis Elmdor of Limberry, too."

"That's news! It's not an official visit is it?"

"There are danger zones everywhere in Ivalice. The Hokuten Knights are in full operation, but suffering from a shortage of men."

"So, they need us cadets."

"Everyone fall in!" A voice from behind us called. Just then a Hokuten Knight came into the auditorium and stood in front of the pedestal. "You have a mission! As you know, barbarians are rapidly increasing here in Gallionne. The traitorous Death Crops detest the royal family. We cannot over look them. We will begin exterminating these traitors. By order of our Master. Larg's knights stationed at Igros Castle and many other groups will participate. Your duty is to support the flank. Specifically, you'll go to Igros and help guard it." Just then a female knight came up to the male knight to whisper something to him. "Cadets, ready your swords! A gang of tortured thieves is trying to sneak into this town. We'll begin preparations now to keep them out of town! Come with me! This is the front line of operations! That's all! Prepare immediately!" We all turned about face and exited the auditorium.

"So, why is your satchel wet?" A voice from behind me inquired. I started to blush from embarrassment.

"Well Delita, I um, had an accident on the way here…a misapplication of common sense if you will."

"And?" Dietrich asked.

"Let's just say that putting on chemist's shoes in a hurry is a **big** no-no."

"So…you tripped? " Ramza joined in.

"Yes…to put it bluntly, I tripped. I believe-with good reason-that a few of the bottles broke."

"Some chemist you turned out to be." Vladimir replied.

"Shut up Vladimir!" my brother and I chorused. Vlad huffed and fell back so he could be next to Nikita.

"What's that book sis?" Daniel asked while pointing to the book I still held in my hands.

"Oh, this?" I held the book out. "This is how we're going to learn magic. Here take a look." My brother took the book and looked through it.

"Wow…"

"Yeah I know; it's a good find huh?"

"Yep. This…"

"We're one step closer now!"

"Dorone…"

"Yes?"

"Stop interrupting me already."

"Sorry. You know how excited I can get when it comes to magic."

"That's okay…I forgot what I was going to say anyway. Here." He handed me the book back. We then reached the weapon and supply room and started our preparations. I took stock of the undamaged goods in my satchel; there were 3 out of 5 potions left, one antidote, and 5 usable phoenix downs. I grabbed a clean satchel and put those items in along with my book. Then I fixed my shoes and grabbed a dagger. I preformed one more check and made sure everything was in its proper place.

"Is everyone ready?" Ramza asked. We all nodded our heads. "All right…let's move out!" We proceeded out of the room and to the entrance of the school.

" Which way are we headed?" Cindy asked.

"West." Ramza answered. We continued to walk through the town until we heard voices up ahead. "Okay that might be the thieves. Dorone, Vladimir, I want you two to stay back here and be prepared to give assistance if necessary." We both nodded. "The rest of us will go on ahead and attack." They were about to move out when I called to my brother.

"Daniel…wait up a second."

"What is it sis?"

"Do you have any phoenix downs with you?" He searches his satchel.

"No."

"Here," I gave him three of mine. "You got potions right?"

"Yes, I have 5. Thanks sis."

"You're welcome. Be careful out there." He nodded and went to join the battle.

"I don't know why I'm back here with you. I know why **you're **back here but I should be with the others." Vlad stated.

"It sounds like Ramza was right."

"Did you even here what I said?"

"Yeah…I'm not happy about this arrangement either, but I trust Ramza and I'm going to ignore the rest of what you said. Now shush…I think I can hear what they're saying."

"…. Don't rush them!" I heard Delita finish.

"Don't patronize me, Delita! I'm also a Beoulve!" Ramza replied. I started to chuckle.

"Oh man…I didn't think I'd hear Ramza say something like that so seriously."

"And why not?" Vlad asked.

"Just cause…darn, I missed the thief's reply."

"Silence! Surrender or die in obscurity!" I heard Ramza say next, and I couldn't help but start laughing.

"He's…haha…really trying hard…isn't he? "

"I don't see why that Beoulve brat is the leader, and that commoner slime has no right to be here at all." I stopped laughing immediately.

"Ramza is a nice caring person and he is at the top of our class. Also the 'commoner' has a name Vlad." He glared at me for a moment, for as far as I know only Nikita can call him Vlad…whatever.

"Oh yes…he does, doesn't he? Now what was it? Delphi? Delta? That's it…Delta right?"

'_Delphi? Delta? What the…'_ "No, it's Delita. **Delita**, not Delta, and certainly not Delphi! Delita has proven that he has a right to be here; he's ranked 2nd in our class. I think he has earned some respect! Additionally Delita has a nice personality albeit serious most of the time."

"I don't care how good he is…he'll never have my respect. All commoners are animals. They are meant to be our servants, always have been, and always will be. Commoners will never have the same rights as us nobles and will never be our equals. Listen Dorone…that's how it goes and it's about time you learned it." Needless to say, I was livid and I could feel my blood start to boil. Not only did he insult Delita and Ramza, but he called all commoners-who are living, breathing humans too-animals. I would not stand for this.

"Listen you pompous, arrogant, presumptuous, snooty, cla…" Vlad cut me short by slapping me. I felt my skin tingle and I brought my hand to my cheek.

"Wake up Dorone! You know that deep down you believe this too. What I'm saying is fact, so face it." That was the last straw.

"You classist son of a bitch!" I slapped Vladimir right back. It seems that it was his last straw as well. Before I knew it Vlad was at my throat trying to strangle me. The thought of roasted buttcheeks crossed my mind, but I didn't know a fire spell yet. Then I thought back to what I was reading before the announcement was made. It was about using your energy to change the temperature of the air around you. I decided to give it a try; I focused my energy and my anger to heat the air around me. It must have worked because about 30 seconds later Vlad let go and looked at his hands in confusion.

I fell to my knees and started coughing. When I saw Vlad unsheathe his sword I grabbed my dagger. I was still on my knees trying to catch my breath, but I kept my eyes on Vlad. He was ready to strike at any moment. The rage in his eyes was fierce, and it seemed that each second I looked into his eyes the more angered I became. After a few minutes I rose to my feet. That's when Vladimir attacked. He was fast but I was just able to side step in time. I then went on the attack, but he parried and pushed me back. He came at me again and I tried to parry but he was much stronger than me and slashed my left side. It most likely would have been much worse if I hadn't tried. I cried out in pain and backed away. _'Damn him.' _Once more he came at me, but this time I used his speed to my advantage. I dodged to the left, and before he could turn around I got behind him, brought my right arm around his neck, and put my dagger to his throat. I was going to say something but he jammed the hilt of his sword into my stomach hard. I let go of him and stumbled backward. I was ready to collapse and I was having trouble breathing. I had to sit down or at least kneel. I chose the latter. The grip I had on my dagger was loose and I was seeing double. His footsteps seemed to echo in my head as he approached.

"W-What…now…Vladi…mir?" I managed to inquire.

"Get up." I tried but failed; all I could do was look up at the two Vlads in front of me.

"Come on, I said get up."

"I…I can't." Vladimir smirked.

"Where are your remarks now Dorone? Listen…don't say anything if you can't back it up."

"Leave…me…alone. Haven't…you…done…enough…for…one…day?"

"Hey don't get me wrong, I'll admit you surprised me a couple of times." He chuckled.

"I…detest…you."

"Ha. It's about time you said it. Come on, get up, and show me how much." I shook my head, which made me dizzier and added another Vlad to my vision. Next thing I know He is forcing me to my feet. When he stepped back I almost fell. I knew that my legs couldn't support me for much longer and it took all of my energy and concentration to remain standing. "Come now…if you won't attack then I will." He came at me, and out of instinct I raised my dagger to defend, but I was still seeing triplicate. Before he got close enough to strike, someone yelled at us.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" Vladimir sheathed his sword.

"Well Ramza, Dorone and I were having a bit of a disagreement."

"…Ramza?" I weakly inquired.

"Yeah D, it's him." Vlad replied.

"Don't...call…me…D."

"You still haven't caught your breath yet? Pathetic."

"Shut up…you...hit me…really…hard…you…idiot."

"Settle down you two," intervened Ramza, "Tell me what happened here."

"We…pushed…each other…to far…and…ended up…fighting."

"Yeah…that sums it up. I gave her a nice wound too."

"You…"

"Sis, are you alright?" Daniel had made his way to where we were.

"Brother…I need…treatment." I tried to walk towards him but my energy finally gave out. The last thing I remember was falling and people calling my name.

_I hope I didn't write the fight scene too badly. Anyways I hope you enjoyed the 3rd chapter of my story. See ya later._


	4. How I Feel

**Through My Eyes**

Chapter 4

How I Feel

_Hi everyone it 2sidez-Samecoin here. This is the long anticipated chapter four of my story. I hope you enjoy it. I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics. As always I really take pleasure in getting reviews, so thanks everyone!_

'_Words like this'--_Dorone's thoughts

(Words)--whispering

" _**Words** _"—spell (in reading or spoken)

While I was unconscious I had a disturbing dream. I was alone in the middle of a snow storm and no matter which way I looked, snow filled my sight. I tried calling out for everyone but there was no reply. I tried again but there was still no reply. I looked straight up and saw the sky obscured with darkness and the white specks frozen water falling from it. I then averted my gaze back to the vast reaches in front of me and started to walk. As soon as I took my first step the simple snow storm turned into a blizzard. The strong gusts of wind paralyzed me to my spot. I began to feel numb all over but I could do nothing about it. I remembered thinking that that must be what it feels like to be attacked by Shiva. I started to feel alone and depressed before my brother's presence pulled me from the dream. I had been having this dream for about a month, but I couldn't figure out what significance it could've had.

"Hey sis, how do you feel?"

"Well…I ache all over and my head hurts, but other than that I'm fine." My brother chuckled. "So how long have I been out?"

"About six hours."

"Really?" _'So much time lost…'_

"Yeah…and I've been by your side all this time except for one hour."

"What did you do during that time?"

"Getting supplies."

"And you left me alone right?" I pretended to look hurt. "Oh, how could you brother?"

"Here…" He tossed me a rod.

"Alright! You're forgiven."

"Anyway sis, you know me better than that. Delita volunteered to watch you while I was gone."

"Of course I know you, you're my brother, but you should know by now when I'm messing with you. I need something to distract me from the pain. Anyway, did you by yourself a staff?"

"Yep. I want to learn white magic first."

"I figured as much. We really do know each other well, don't we?"

"That's how brothers and sisters are."

"So…anything happen while I was out?"

"Not much. We carried you here and I've been taking care of you. Ramza has been checking on you every hour, and Delita, Cinderella, and Dietrich visited you a couple of times. Oh, and get this, even Vladimir stopped by."

"He was probably forced to come see me. Did you give him ointment for his hands?"

"Yes…but I almost didn't."

"I figured as much." I sat up some more and started to stare at the door. My mind began to fill with thoughts about the day's events. I guess I became too quite for my brother's liking.

"Dorone, what's the matter?"

"Nothing…"

"That's a lie. When you get this quite you're thinking about something."

"I've got an idea. Since we know each other so well, why don't you try to guess what I'm thinking about?"

"Your fight with Vladimir?"

"Well, that's part of it. I was thinking about today in general. It didn't start out too well."

"Everybody has an off-day, so don't feel bad about it."

"Ha. That's easy for you to say."

"Sis…"

"Daniel, you only see part of it. How I feel is another."

"I can sense how you feel…sis."

"Yes, but can you sense the thoughts that lead to those feelings?"

"No…"

"Vladimir showed me how weak I really am."

"No, you're not…"

"Yes I am. I realized that the only reason that we didn't go at it before is because there was always someone else with us. As long as there was at least one other person with us I could keep my cool."

"Dorone don't talk like that."

"Just hear me out brother." I lay back down and stared at the ceiling. "I also feel horrible because I disobeyed a direct order. What if you guys needed us? I would have been useless. Also, if I couldn't defend myself against an ally, how in the world am I supposed to survive against an enemy? All this proves is that I've wasted Ramza's and Delita's time. I've failed and there's no excuse for it."

"If you keep thinking like that then you will fail. Listen…don't let one mishap get you so down. You're still a strong person, and if you feel that you aren't then start over and make yourself stronger. Learn form it, don't let it defeat you. Remember this?" He retrieved my book from my satchel and tossed it on the bed. I sat up once more and looked at it. "Dorone…do you remember how we talked when we were younger? You used to say, and I quote, 'Soon everyone will know my name. They will see me and say there's Dorone Marcella McNorton, the greatest magician since Edibis.'"

"Yeah, and then you'd say: 'And I'm Daniel Shamus McNorton, the greatest healer in all of Ivalice and brother of the great magician.'" _'Were we fools?'_

"Don't you see? Your magic can be your strength. After all, you're the one starting with black magic."

"I guess your right, but still how can I face Ramza without feeling guilty?"

"Don't think about what happened. Just think about what you will do with your magic and how helpful it will be."

"Okay."

"Good. Now, I'm going to find the others and let them know you're up."

"Which inn are we in?"

"The Fireside Inn." I felt a wide grin play across my face. "What's that look about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, sure…" My brother then left the room. I got up and changed out of my night clothes into my chemists' attire, but I didn't put on the hat. I was still in pain, but some had subsided by now. There were times when I was 13 and 14 where I would just disappear from the house for awhile. I never told my brother or my parents where I went, I would just sneak out. Daniel, being the sweetheart that he is, always covered for me although he didn't have to. The second time I had 'disappeared' I found the Fireside Inn and kept coming back until I started at the Academy. Although it probably wasn't the smartest idea given the situation, I was going to disappear again. At least I was still going to be in the building right?

I went to the door to listen for footsteps. When I heard none I gradually opened the door and looked around. There was no one around so I closed the door as quietly as possible and looked around once more to see where I was exactly. From the way I perceived it, I was on the second floor. I found the stairs and went down. I didn't see anyone from the group so I took a good look around. I didn't find who I was looking for in the common room, but the smell of food starting to fill the air told me what I needed to know. I went to the kitchen and that's where he was: good old Ironside.

"Hey Ironside, remember me?"

"Well, well if it isn't little Dorone. How long has it been now?"

"About four years, old man."

"Too long. Look at you; you've grown into a fine young lady. So why haven't you been by to visit?"

"These pass four years I've been over at the Academy, and I guess I didn't want to take chances."

"Chances?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to get caught sneaking out. I probably could've been expelled." After I said that someone put their hands over my eyes.

"I guess that's understandable, but four years is a long time."

"Hey Nathan…long time _no see_." He removed his hands from my eyes and I turned to face him. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine, we were worried about you."

"Yes. We saw them carry you in. We were concerned. " Ironside added.

"Oh yeah, sorry that the only available rooms were on the second floor. I guess you haven't told your brother about us yet."

"Nope, he doesn't know that this is where I came. I may tell him tonight though." Ironside went back to cooking. "Hey old man, what's cooking?"

"Stew, and I wish that you would grow out of calling me 'old man' already. What happen to respect your elders huh?"

"Fine then, I'll alternate. Would that be to your liking Ironside?" He sighed and went back to his stew.

"Dorone, wait here a sec. Okay?"

"Sure." Nathan left the kitchen for a few minutes and came back with a lute in hand.

"Here. Play something for us like you used to." He handed me the instrument and I played a scale.

"I must say I missed playing the lute. I don't know what to play."

"Any thing is fine Dorone."

"Okay." I closed my eyes and let my heart lead my hands. What resulted was a sad melody that sounded like a lullaby.

"Come on Dorone…" Nathan called to me. I opened my eyes, nodded, and followed him, while still playing. He was leading me to the mini stage in the common room. It never fails, whenever I started playing the lute, he would always lead me here. Nathan never knew this but I was always nervous about letting people see me play, but that's why I always closed my eyes.

Once I was on stage I closed my eyes again. I must have played for five minutes before I stopped. I opened my eyes and noticed that quite a few people had been listening and some had even fallen asleep. I curtsied and left the stage. As I was leaving the stage they applauded. Then Nathan spoke to me. "Dorone…"

"Hmm…?"

"You've still got it." I couldn't help but smile.

"There you are sis."

"Hey Daniel."

"We got worried about you. Odd time to start and old habit."

"We?" That's when I noticed Ramza. "Oh…hi…Ramza. I'm sorry about that. I wanted to see Nathan and Ironside again."

"That is okay, but tell somebody next time. Wait…who are Ironside and Nathan?" Ramza replied.

"This boy next to me is Nathan, and Ironside is his uncle and owner of the inn. Nathan this is my brother Daniel and this is my leader, and one of my best friends, Ramza."

"Nice to meet you Ramza. So…I finally get to meet you Daniel. Dorone always had something to say about you."

"It's nice to meet you too Nathan. So the guy that was with you when we came in was Ironside?" Ramza responded.

"Yep."

"Sis…is this where you would go when you left with out saying anything?"

"Yeah, Nathan and I were quite the duo back then. We always had fun."

"Just about every other time she came I would have her play the lute for us." Nathan added.

"You know sis, I always covered for you."

"You didn't have to; I was willing to take any punishment our parents could have given me."

"This is why I like her." Nathan commented.

"She does have a lively attitude doesn't she?" Ramza added. We all started to chuckle.

"(How are you feeling sis?)"

"(My side still hurts but it won't keep me down.)"

"You know Dorone, you shouldn't be moving around so much." Ramza said.

"I know Ramza, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I never realized how much you and Vladimir disliked each other." _'You weren't supposed to know.'_

"I know, but that's mostly because I can usually keep myself occupied with something or someone else."

"Let me guess…this Vlad character is the one who hurt you right?" Nathan asked.

"You're correct, anyway Nathan, can you ask Ironside how long till the stew is ready?"

"Sure thing." He left towards the kitchen while Ramza, Daniel and I went towards an empty table. When we sat down I placed the lute on the table, and to be honest I had forgotten that I was still holding it.

"I didn't know that you could play the lute." Ramza said.

"I learned from my father."

"That was a pretty tune you played sis." Ramza nodded in agreement.

"Thanks." _'But couldn't you sense the sadness?'_

"Is that your lute?" Ramza inquired.

"No it belongs to Nathan."

"Did somebody say my name? Hey guys, Ironside says that it'll be another 30 minutes."

"Here's your lute Nathan." I started to hand him the lute but he shook his head.

"No I want you to have it. Who knows, it might be another four years before I see you again."

"Are you sure Nathan?"

"Yep. It's yours."

"Thank you Nathan. I would hug you but my side still hurts." He chuckled and gave me a ruffled my hair instead.

"Well I've got to help Ironside in the kitchen. I'll see you guys in about 30 minutes." When he left Daniel and Ramza started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"My sis has a boyfriend…who knew?"

"Hey Daniel are you sure she isn't a siren in disguise?"

"What are you two talking about?"

"Can't you see it Dorone? He positively glows when he is around you." Daniel answered.

"Your lute playing has him enchanted. No wonder he had you play it so often." Ramza added.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you two. Nathan and I are best friends okay."

"You'll break his heart if he hears you say that sis." I sighed and remained silent.

"I'll go and get the others." Ramza stated.

"OK." Daniel replied. Ramza got up from the table and left.

"Why sis?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you tell me before now where you went?"

"Think about it. Compare our life back in Goug to about a year after we moved here." My brother closed his eyes in thought. I watched him as he tried to recall those two periods of time. After about a minute he asked:

"What…wasn't my company good enough for you?"

"Yes…and no. I felt like there were more restrictions placed on us here. So I needed to release some of the pressure of being a noble."

"You still haven't answered my original question though."

"At first I thought I would be going to different places, and wouldn't plan out where I went. After I found this place though, that changed. Besides, I wanted to have at least one secret to myself."

"What am I going to do with you sis?"

"Help me get better, that's what."

"Will you play something on your lute again?" I nodded and picked up the lute and played a lighter, upbeat tune. After a few minutes I stopped because I saw the others coming back with Ramza.

"How are you doing Dorone?"

"I'm fine Cindy. My brother did a great job."

"That's good to hear. We all were worried about you." Cindy replied. Vladimir huffed.

"Pathetic…I would have been up sooner if it was me." I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway it's almost time to eat. So why don't you sit down and join us?" I said to them. Ramza and Delita sat down with Daniel and me while the others sat at the table next to us. After awhile Nathan came and told us the stew is ready.

"So what's in the stew?" Dietrich asked.

"No…don't say anything." I protested.

"Why?" Dietrich and Nathan inquired simultaneously.

"Because if you tell us I might not be able to enjoy the meal. I've learned from past experiences that a great meal can be ruined by knowing what the ingredients are."

"Must we go through this every time, sis?"

"Yes, but does anyone have food allergies?" Cinderella nodded. "Fine, go ahead and tell them." I covered my ears and started chanting 'I'm not listening' while Nathan told the ingredients in the stew. Once he was finished and I started to eat I noticed that a few of them questioned it. After we were finished we all got up to leave for our rooms except for Ramza.

"Vladimir, Dorone, stay a minute. I wish to speak with the both of you." We stayed and bid the others good-night.

"What do you want Ramza?" Vlad asked impatiently.

"It is about your actions today. I expected better from the both of you. Now, what were your instructions?"

"To stay back and be prepared to give assistance if necessary." I replied.

"Yeah, what she said." Vlad answered. _'Show some respect for once. Oh I wish I could hit you right now.'_

"And were you?" Ramza asked.

"No." We said together, although I said it more softly than Vlad. I was beginning to feel my insides churn with guilt.

"Listen you two, if we are to succeed, we cannot have in-fighting. You hear me."

"Yes."

"Good. Now should this happen again you will leave me not choice but to dismiss the both of you. Dorone, Vladimir do you understand?" I felt my throat try to close on me but I managed to fight it.

"Yes, Ramza…I…understand." I replied.

"Yeah, sure, I understand Ramza." Vlad replied.

"Now get some rest. He head out in the morning." With that Ramza and Vladimir headed to their rooms. I however remained rooted to my spot close to tears. I stood there trying to regain my composure and remember my brother's words from earlier. It was hard to prevent this from depressing me and I had the strong urge to walk out of the inn and give up. I realized that Vladimir had been trying so hard to bring me down the past four years, and today he had almost succeeded.

"Dorone…?" Nathan called softly. I turned to see him looking out from behind the kitchen door. "Are you O.K?"

"Not really. Guilt and disappointment reside in my heart right now."

"That doesn't suit you, you know."

"I know, I've already heard it from my brother earlier."

"Come here." I walked over to the door and he came out from behind it. He then pulled me into a hug, being mindful of my injury. "It's alright Dorone. I'll always be here for you. I…I…love you Dorone." I couldn't help but laugh a little. "What's funny about that?"

"Ramza and my brother were right. They said you had feelings form me."

"Really? And how do you feel?" I placed my head on his shoulder.

"You fool…of course I love you. I always had feeling for you but I could never express them except through music."

"Were you afraid that I would reject you if you had told me outright?"

"Yes."

"Now you're the fool."

"Will you wait for me?" _'I have this feeling that the others and I are being pulled into something big.'_

"Yes Dorone I will."

"Thank you Nathan. We have to leave in the morning so I must get some sleep. Good-night Nathan." We broke the hug.

"Nite Dorone." I watched him leave for the kitchen before I headed upstairs. When I opened the door to my room I saw Daniel get up from the bed.

"Will you need my help sis?"

"No Daniel, I can handle it. Good-night."

"Night sis." He left and headed for his room. I closed the door behind him and went to my satchel at the end of the bed to get fresh bandages. I got out of my chemist attire and removed the old bandages. I looked at the injury and noticed that it didn't seem as serious as it had felt when it was inflicted. Pushing that observation aside I redressed my injury and put on my night attire. I then sat on the bed and picked up my book of spells. I turned to the section on black mage fire spells and read:

'The simplest of the four fire spells is Fire1 or more commonly Fire. To perform this spell you must be able to see or sense your target. (For beginners in the practice of magic it is recommended that you are always able to see your target.) Next you must focus a small amount of your energy around the target. Then once you are sure that you have focused you energy around the target you say the incantation: "**_Destruction in nature, gather in flame! Fire!_**"

Note: Sometimes it is not always necessary to say the whole incantation.'

I looked over the first fire spell a couple of times before my eyes grew tired. I put the book back in my satchel and went to sleep.

The next morning my brother came into the room and woke me for breakfast.

"Come on Dorone, it is time to get up." I turned away from the sound of his voice.

"Yeah, yeah…just give me two more minutes."

"Fine. You got two minutes. If you take any long I'll drag you down to breakfast myself." With that he left. When he closed the door I proceeded to redress my room and change into full chemist attire. I then looked around the small room I was in and made sure nothing was left out. When I was sure I had everything I grabbed my satchel and headed for downstairs. Nathan was at the bottom of the stairs ready to greet me.

"Hey Dorone."

"Hi Nathan."

"You forgot to take the lute with you last night. Here." He handed me the instrument. I had to move some stuff but it fit into my satchel.

"Thank you Nathan."

"You're welcome. Here let me take you to the others." I followed Nathan to the others. I sat down with Daniel, Ramza, and Delita at a table while Nathan headed to the kitchen.

"How are you feeling Dorone?"

"I'm fine Delita, thanks for asking."

"Once we leave Gariland we head through Mandalia Plains to Igros." Ramza stated.

"Could we reach Igros by nightfall?" Dietrich asked.

"No, not quite. We will have to camp out tonight. If all goes well we should be in Igros by 11 tomorrow morning." Ramza answered.

"Let's eat now. The sooner we leave, the closer we can be to Igros by nightfall." Delita added. We ate and the others talked quietly. Once everyone was finished we checked over our inventory, said goodbye to Nathan and Ironside, and headed for Mandalia Plains. While we were traveling Cindy started up a small conversation with me.

"It's time for girl talk Dorone. _'Yea...'_ Daniel, can you walk with Dietrich for awhile?"

"Sure."

"We hardly got to talk at all yesterday Dorone."

"Yeah, I know."

"So where did you disappear to yesterday? It's not nice to make people worry."

"I went to the kitchen to see Nathan. We were best friends."

"Were?"

"Yeah, now don't squeal Cindy, but Nathan and I are a couple now." I watched as Cindy tried hard not to squeal with all her heart.

"That's great!" I didn't say anything more, but I stayed beside Cindy. An hour had passed before we reached Mandalia Plains.

"We're making good time." Ramza commented.

I hadn't seen Mandalia Plains before so while we walked I looked around. There wasn't much to see, but it was calming. I didn't realize how quite it was until we heard voices up ahead.

"Be on guard." Ramza advised. We were able to get closer to the source of the voices before they spotted us.

"Wha? Damn! The Hokuten Knights!"

"Death Corps? Are they attacking someone?" Delita inquired. We all got ready for battle and waited to hear what Ramza had to say. It didn't take long for Ramza to say:

"Don't disgrace the knights! Saving him comes first!" The person must have heard Ramza because I heard him say:

"Reinforcements? Thank God!" So the battle began. Daniel and I hung back at first while the others went on the offense. Ramza and Dietrich went after the red panther that was close to our group. There seemed to be at least five thieves in the group that had been messing with the person, who look to be a teen about our age. They had turned their backs to the teen to focus their attention on us. The teen used the opportunity to try and attack one of them. His weapon had pierced the thief's left shoulder, which wasn't fatal, and the thief turned on him. The teen had started to retreat backwards when one of the thief's comrades joined him. The other three members of the thief's group had rushed to meet Vlad, Nikita, and Cindy in battle in the 'center'. Delita had changed his direction to help out the teen, and my brother had left my side to aid Ramza and Dietrich.

I decided to follow Delita and try to keep an eye out for the trio in the middle as well. We caught up to the thieves and the teen quickly. The thieves had their backs to us and Delita and I attacked. Delita ran one through while I slit the other's throat. I let the body fall to the ground and looked at my dagger. It almost made me puke at the sight of the blood, and it was the first time I had killed somebody. My heart felt heavy and my head felt dizzy.

"Dorone, snap out of it! He needs a potion!" Delita called to me.

"Right. Sorry about that." I rushed over to the teen and fished out a potion to give to him. Once I found one I gave it to him and he promptly drank it.

"Dorone, stay here and watch over him. I'm going to help Cinderella fight off the thief." Delita said.

"Right." Delita rushed off towards Cindy's direction. "What's your name?"

"Algus."

"Hello Algus, my name is Dorone. How are you feeling?"

"Winded."

"Alright try to catch your breath for now. Then we can talk." I took this opportunity to wipe as blood of my dagger as possible in the grass. I couldn't wait to start using magic at that point. I really didn't want to have to look at a blood covered weapon again. I could hear Algus breathing deeply next to me. I hoped that afterwards when everyone was better he could tell us what had happened. Suddenly he tapped my shoulder and pointed to the others. I looked in their direction and noticed that they were motioning for us to join them. The battle was over and we had won.

_That's chapter four for you guys, and gals. Next time it is the aftermath of this battle and Igros Castle. I hoped you liked it and feel free to tell me if I need to improve anything. Also start checking in on my profile more often, I'm going to be starting my own forum soon. Till next time much love,_

**_2sidez-Samecoin_**


	5. The Path I Take

**Through My Eyes**

Chapter 5

The Path I Take

_Hello everyone its 2sidez-Samecoin here. This is the long awaited chapter five of my story. I'm sorry it __**two**__ years to get this chapter up. I had originally planned on having them get to Igros Castle in this chapter but I decided to have it be in the next one, which will not take me two years I promise you. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics. Thanks for staying with me everyone! _

'_Words like this'--_Dorone's thoughts

("Words")--whispering

"_**Words"—**_spells (in reading or spoken)

* * *

Algus and I walked towards Ramza and the others. I told my brother to examine Algus for any injuries. Then I watched Cindy walk over to me. "Are you all right Dorone?" she asked. 

"I'm…fine," I replied in a soft voice.

"You sure? You're looking a little pale."

"I do?"

"Yeah," Cindy looked into my eyes for a moment, "and you look a little lost as well."

"I…" I wasn't sure what to say. I was still feeling uncertain about killing that person. I showed my dagger to Cindy. There were still blood stains on it. She put her arm around me and nodded. She seemed to understand. I then placed my dagger back where it belonged. Cindy kept her arm around me for a few minutes and then let go. I then began to check her for any injuries. She said she felt fine but I insisted. Once I was finished I walked over to Nikita, who was standing by Vlad. As I got closer to her she narrowed her eyes at me.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"To do my job if that's all right with you," I replied with a hint of annoyance. Vlad gave me a dirty look, but I pretended not to notice.

"I'm fine. Unlike you, I can take care of myself." Both Nikita and Vlad smirked. I wanted to hit them right then and there, but Ramza's words were still fresh in my mind.

"You may feel fine, but I have to check anyway. I promise I won't take long." She gave me a dirty look but I ignored it and checked her over. When I was done she asked me if I had found anything wrong. I said no and she boasted to Vlad about how right she was. I rolled my eyes and walked away from them. When Daniel was finished examining the boys, Algus talked with Ramza and Delita. The rest of us were sitting just out of ear shot of them.

I decided to stretch out and lay on the grass. I placed my head on my left arm and closed my eyes. I wanted to clear my head and get my mind off of the battle we just fought. There was a light breeze playing across the plains and I could hear insects. The others were talking softly but I couldn't register what they were saying. I knew that I was starting to fall asleep when the sound of gentle footsteps startled me.

("Sis, are you all right?") Daniel asked quietly. I sat up and looked at him.

"Kinda…" I replied. He sat down beside me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"What's wrong?"

("My first kill…") I lowered my head.

"Sis, if you didn't kill him--"

"He would have killed Algus," I interrupted, "I know brother, but still…"

"You could always--"

"I know…"

"So what are you going to do? It wouldn't make much sense to continue on if you are going to have this much trouble dealing with taking a life." I remained silent. My brother had brought up a good point. I looked into my brother's face; I could see that he was waiting for an answer, but he didn't want to rush me. I looked away from him. _'Would learning magic really make any difference? Will I still get this horrible feeling if I killed someone with my magic?' _It took me a few minutes before I came to a decision. I looked at my brother again. "I'll keep going."

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"This is the path that we have chosen right? We both knew what would happen along the way. It's just that from now on I'll use my magic instead."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes brother, I am." I pulled Daniel into a hug. "You sometimes act like a big brother even though we are twins, and I was born first."

"I can't help it that I care about you, and you're only older by 10 minutes. That means nothing!" Daniel sighed and I laughed.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you were older than me by 10 minutes and you know it!" I let him go and then we started into the whole 'would not, would too' argument until Cindy and Dietrich came over.

"All right you two, that's enough," Cindy said.

"Aww, don't stop them Cindy. It's funny when they get like this." Dietrich said. My brother and I looked at Dietrich and blew raspberries at him before we stopped. After a few minutes passed Ramza, Delita, and Algus came over to where the rest of us were.

"The first thing we have to do is report to Igros. Let's keep moving for now. I'll explain things later." Ramza informed us. Daniel helped me get up off the ground. After everyone was up we checked our inventory. We then started walking at a medium pace. Ramza, Delita and Algus lead the way. Behind them were Nikita and Vlad, and after them were Cindy and Dietrich. We traveled in silence and it was unsettling. I decided to try and remember how to cast Fire to keep the silence from bothering me. It didn't take me long to remember; all it took was to take what I did to Vlad when we fought and make the energy combust. I wanted to practice, but I needed a target. My eyes wandered towards Vladimir, but seeing Ramza walking ahead of him made think of his words once more. Then I thought about using myself as the target. I was willing to do it, but not at the moment. With that train of thought complete I was aware of the silence once more. The only thing I could think to do at the moment was to look up at the sky. It was starting to get late and that meant we would probably make camp soon. Looking at the sky, and it's slowly growing orange tint, put my mind at ease. I know that I really should have been paying attention to walking but the sky was entrancing. My brother seemed to notice what I was doing.

("You really should watch where you going, sis. You don't want to bump into Cindy or Dietrich do you?") I looked at him and shook my head. He smiled at me before looking ahead. I also looked ahead but my eyes settled on Algus. I wasn't quite sure what to think of him since we barely had the chance to get to know each other. Then I began to try and think of what might happen when we finally got to Igros, but because I was never really into politics my thoughts didn't get very far. I sighed softly and resigned to the silence. After a couple of hours Ramza made the order to stop and set up camp. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. Once the fire was going and everybody was gathered around the fire Ramza told us what Algus had told him and Delita. There were mix reactions to the news. Nikita and Vladimir both looked appalled, Cindy looked shocked, and Dietrich and my brother looked the same as they did before the heard the news. I wasn't quite sure what to think. I mean I wasn't really surprised but I felt like I should have had some emotional response. Ramza looked around at all of us before stating again that we are going to report to Igros first before doing anything. After that most of us started to talk about other things while Delita gathered our food rations. Cindy left her seat by her brother to come and sit with me and Daniel.

"How are you feeling Dorone?" she asked.

"I'm feeling better…" Cindy smiled at me when I said that, "and I've decided to use magic from this point on."

"Really, well that's good right? So how are you going to practice?" I was quiet for a moment. I didn't really want to tell her that I was planning to use myself as a target, especially when my brother was right there listening.

"Well, I plan on practicing at night when we make camp or have stopped for rest."

"Oh, I see. Are you going to start tonight?"

"I plan to."

"Sis, do you want me to help?" Daniel asked. Once again I stalled my answer. I was hoping that he wouldn't ask that, but I should have known better.

"Sure, it would be nice to have you there ready to help in case something goes wrong." I turn to fully look at my brother and the look on his face tells me that he didn't quite agree with the way I said that.

"Dorone, what are you planning?" he asks sternly. I turn to look at the fire before answering as quietly as possible.

("I, I'm using myself as the target…")

"Could you repeat what you said Dorone? I didn't understand what you said." Cindy said.

"That's because you weren't supposed to." I said aloud, thinking that I just thought it. It took only a second to realize that I didn't just think it. "I mean…"

"Sis, just tell us." My brother softly commanded. I sighed in defeat.

"I was planning to use myself as the target."

"You can't do that Dorone!" Cindy said loud enough for everyone to hear. I tried to quiet her down but she continued. "What if you seriously hurt yourself or worse? Then what!? There must be another way, right?" I didn't answer her right away because it felt like Vlad and Ramza were staring at me.

"What do you want me to do Cindy? I can't use anyone else for a target for the very same reasons. The only option I see is to use myself as the target." Cindy stared at me while trying to come up with an answer. I sighed and looked at the fire. I knew she was trying, but I had my doubts whether or not she come up with an answer.

"Oh, I've got it!" she said cheerfully. I sighed but continued to look at the fire.

"What Cindy?"

"Why don't you use your hat as a target?" I looked at her in disbelief.

"My…hat?"

"Yeah. I know you really don't like wearing the thing, so why not set it on

fire."

"Do you really think that will work Cindy?"

"I don't know but it's worth a try isn't it?"

"Fine, follow me then." I sighed and began to walk away from the tents. Cindy and my brother followed closely behind me. I led them a good distance away from the tents. The camp fire was a small light in the distance, and there was a small breeze playing through the plains. "This should be far enough," I said softly. Then I reached up for my hat and took it off. I looked at it and then at Cindy, still questioning how plausible her idea was. She looked at me with a cheerful smile waiting for me to do whatever it was I was going to do. I sighed and placed the hat on the ground in front of me before taking a few steps back. "You two may want to get behind me." They nodded and did as I suggested. I turned my gaze towards my hat and began to focus. It was hard to concentrate at first because of how silly I felt, but once I was able to get over it I felt something with in me stir. I let the feeling flow through me and then the words came from my lips. _**"Destruction in nature, gather in flame! Fire!" **_I gasped slightly feeling the release of energy followed by a drained feeling. My brother came over to me and placed his arm around me. We looked at the hat but nothing happened. A slight wind tried to blow my hat away but it wasn't enough. I looked at Cindy but said nothing. Her smile was gone now and she looked away slightly. I sighed and gazed at my hat again. I was about to turn around and walk back to the campfire when I noticed something. I shrugged my brother's arm off, walked over to my hat, and kneeled beside it. "Ha..." There was a small flame starting to grow. I tried my best to shield my hat from the breeze so that the flame could grow. In a flash the hat burst aflame and burned to ash within a few seconds. I fell back startled but started laughing oddly. I looked at my brother and Cindy still laughing. "Did you guys...haha...did you see that?" I asked excitedly. "It...haha...it really worked. I did that...haha...I did it." I looked at the remains of my hat and smirked. "And you know what? It feels good." I sat up and began laughing harder as Cindy and my brother came over.

"Sis...?"

"Dorone? Are you okay?"

"I feel just peachy Cindy!" Then I felt woozy all of a sudden and swayed slightly. I stopped laughing and looked at my brother.

"She's going to pass out..." my brother said to Cindy as he moved closer to me.

"No I'm not..." I protested, even though my body was telling me other wise.

"Yes you are sis."

"You're wr...ong..." He was right.


End file.
